


Reunion

by Brenda



Category: Captain America (Comics), Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Community: picfor1000, M/M, Protective Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-28
Updated: 2014-01-28
Packaged: 2018-01-10 07:34:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1156865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brenda/pseuds/Brenda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky and Steve have a long overdue meeting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> Very loosely inspired by [this pic](http://www.flickr.com/photos/barkingtigs/4325561051/) for the Pic for 1000 challenge on LJ.
> 
> (Borrows from the Captain America: Winter Soldier comics storyline, and from the first Captain America movie.)

Steve slid into his chair at a small table in the outdoor patio of a café just off the main square of Gödöllő, Hungary. Alone, as requested, not that Steve would have brought anyone with him. He didn't want or need an audience for this particular - overdue - reunion.

He took a sip from his café Americano and checked his watch. 3:57. Just under three minutes to compose himself, to find the words. The _right_ words that would bring Bucky home, back to New York, back to Steve, to a life they could maybe build –

– There he went again, letting his imagination run away with him. He had to play this right. He'd blown his first chance in the bunker in West Virginia, when he hadn't been able to stop Bucky from using the Cube to disappear. He wouldn't make the same mistake today. 

But it had to mean something – it _had_ to – that, eight months later, Bucky'd finally reached out to him, wanted to meet. 

At precisely 4:00, his cellphone rang. Steve didn't recognize the number, but he knew who would be on the other end. He took a deep breath, wiped damp palms on his jeans, and answered. "Steve Rogers."

"Have you been to the monstrosity they're calling Yankees Stadium these days? Tastes have _definitely_ not improved since we were kids."

The inflection had more than a hint of Russia, but Steve would know that laconic drawl anywhere, in any time. "You had me fly halfway around the world to talk about baseball?"

Bucky chuckled, the sound warm, and achingly familiar. "Not really, but you looked so nervous I figured I'd try to break the ice."

"Where are you?" Steve knew better than to turn around or try to find him. Even before the Russians had gotten hold of him and twisted his skills to suit their needs, Bucky'd been a master at blending in.

"Close by."

Steve tried to contain his disappointment. "You don't trust me enough for a face to face?"

"It's not you I don't trust, Steve."

"I didn't tell anyone where I was going."

"I believe you. But SHIELD has eyes everywhere and I wouldn't put it past them to use you to get me into custody."

"I wouldn't allow it."

Bucky tsked. "Still so naïve."

"Not naïve," Steve corrected, but didn't press the matter. "So tell me why I'm here."

"Maybe I just missed your ugly mug."

"You love my ugly mug." It had been decades – a lifetime – but slipping into their familiar banter felt right in a way that nothing had since he'd woken up in this strange new world.

"I guess I must."

"Come home, Buck."

Bucky drew in a measured breath. "Steve –"

"I mean it." To hell with playing it safe. It wasn't his style, never had been. "You've been gone long enough. You've done enough penance for whatever crimes you think you committed."

"Not just think, I _did_ them. I'm a murderer. Simple fact."

"Is that supposed to scare me off?"

"Are you even listening to me? I've killed –"

"I. Don't. Care." Steve couldn't tell who was more shocked at his tone, him or Bucky, but he plowed on. "You could have been forced to kill one man, a thousand, it doesn't matter. Whatever was done _to_ you, we'll deal with it. Together."

Bucky let out a strangled laugh. "Jesus, you haven't changed a bit. Still stubborn as hell."

"Which you'd know better than anyone. It's not really news."

"Well, I've got some for you, pal. I'm _not_ the person you grew up with. You're fighting for something – some _one_ – that doesn't exist anymore. Let it die."

"You're even more of an idiot than you were before you were brainwashed if you think that. If you think there isn't _anything_ I wouldn't do for you. There's not a line I won't cross, a person I won't fight, even if it's you. And maybe the Red Room turned all of your _skills_ into a weapon, but _you_ aren't one. You're still Bucky Barnes and no one can take that away from you, not ever again. And no one's gonna take you away from me ever again, either."

"That's, uh, quite a speech there. How long've you been practicing it?"

Steve's lips curved upwards. "A few times. But I still mean it. Every word."

"I know you do. But me coming back, what good would it do? You're still a paragon of virtue, still Captain America, and I'm still the guy skulking in the shadows doing the dirty work you can't."

"I'll give up the shield if that'll convince you."

"Steve –"

"You really don't get it, do you?" 

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Steve had wanted to do this in person, but if this was how he had to play it out, well, so be it. "It means I love you, ya dumb jerk. And maybe that's not enough, and maybe you're _not_ the same person you were before, but neither am I. And if it takes giving up the shield to give us a clean slate, then I'll do it."

Bucky was silent for so long Steve was afraid he'd hung up. That he'd blown it again. _Please, Bucky, c'mon..._

"Four tables over, back row."

Steve jerked to his feet and turned, swallowing the lump in his throat. Bucky was sitting at the table, Dodgers ballcap pulled low, dressed in a plain black long-sleeved t-shirt and jeans.

The universe contracted, then expanded, around them, and Steve's heart expanded along with it.

Then Bucky spoke. "Hey, punk."

Steve gave a watery smile, and walked over, sank into the seat opposite Bucky. "You look like hell."

"Well, we can't all have your All-American good looks," Bucky smiled, and in it, Steve could see New York, brotherhood, love, _home_. Everything he'd thought he'd lost in the ice.

"Just so it's clear, I'm not promising anything."

"That's okay, I'll wear you down eventually."

"Yeah," Bucky conceded with a wry laugh. "You probably will."

***

**Author's Note:**

> You can now find me on [Tumblr](http://brendaonao3.tumblr.com/). :)


End file.
